Preparing for an appraisal from A. Marvin Appraisals, LLC


	By law, you, as a borrower, are are entitled to receive a copy of the completed appraisal report from the lender. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To speed up the appraisal process, it's helpful to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).
Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.
Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway.
List of personal property to be sold with the building.
Title policy that lists encroachments or easements.
A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.
Any inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, your septic system and your well.
Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of insulation or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).
A copy of the current listing agreement with broker's data sheet and purchase agreement if a sale is "pending".
Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.
A list of "suggested" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

Once your appraiser arrives, you do not need to accompany them along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be available to answer questions about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are some other tips:

Accessibility: Appraisers are very detailed in their inspections. Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.
Housekeeping: Appraisers see a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a better home value.
Maintenance: We often suggest fixing minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.
FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, be sure to ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: installing a banister on all stairways, removing and touching up where there's paint peeling, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.